Surgical table tops have been employed to perform a variety of procedures. Oftentimes, during these procedures, the patient requires fluoroscopy or other imaging procedure. Metal table tops or those with metal supports interfered with proper imaging of the patient. To that end, surgical table tops have more recently been constructed of radiolucent materials such as, for example, carbon fiber or other composites. Such table tops lacking metal components provided a patient supporting surface that did not interfere with imaging procedures.
Unfortunately, the radiolucent materials are unsuitable for supporting the attachment of accessories commonly required during medical procedures. For example, during surgical procedures, it is often necessary to use attachments, armboards, retractors, etc. for supporting the patient's limbs, trays for surgical instruments, specially designed surgical equipment, such as cameras, or robotic surgical devices, among others, in conjunction with the table top.
To accomplish this, known surgical table tops typically are provided with side rails permanently attached at opposite long sides of the table top. These rails provide an attachment point for accessories, which may be clamped or otherwise attached to the rails. While these rails were easily affixed to a conventional metal table top by fasteners, attachment to a composite table top, such as a carbon fiber composite table top) required metal inserts molded into the table top to receive those fasteners. The inserts were provided with threaded openings such that the rails could be fastened by screws and removed as necessary. Even with the rails removed, however, the metal inserts interfered with the results of the imaging process. Moreover, the metal inserts can create scatter radiation and require an increased amount of radiation and require an increased amount of radiation to be used, thereby cause potential safety problems.
Still further, since the rails extended the entire length of the table top, these rails hinder the surgeon's access to the table top. The rails prevent the surgeon and other persons providing treatment to the patient from standing immediately next to the table top. This may cause the treating personnel to function in an awkward position increasing fatigue or interfering with access to the surgical area.
To alleviate these concerns, at least one manufacturer has provided a removable clamp for a radiolucent surgical table top. Since the clamp relies on compressive force instead of fasteners for attachment to the table, the table top may be constructed without metal inserts. In this way, accessories may be removed prior to conducting imaging procedures such that the table top may be made free of metallic objects that would appear on the image if the x-ray field of view were close. The presently known clamping device includes a generally C-shaped clamp having top and bottom legs held in spaced relation by a vertical side member. The legs and side members form a single solid member defining an open-ended channel that receives an edge of the table. A clamping bar supported on the bottom leg of the clamp is selectively moveable in the vertical direction to apply a compressive force to the table top when the table top is between the bar and the first leg. The clamping bar is made flat to engage a flat bottom surface of a surgical table top and the top leg angles downwardly defining a crook or a recess for receiving the raised edge of a conventional surgical table top. The flat clamping bar may be prone to lateral deviation because it is not restrained. This deviation may be most prevalent when the clamp is loosened for longitudinal movement. Deviation may be problematic when attempting to slide the clamp to a new position. Since the clamping bar is unrestrained in the lateral direction, it may deviate causing the upper portion of the clamp to rub against the raised edge on the upper surface increasing the effort necessary to move the clamp or in extreme cases the clamp may bind against the edge of the table top. This rubbing may also abrade or gouge the surfaces of the table top or its raised edge leading to further clamp-moving difficulty.
As a further disadvantage, the edges of most conventional surgical table tops are square. Despite the use of radiolucent material, when x-raying from an oblique angle, the squared edge of the conventional table appears on a flouroscopic image as a thin line. As will be appreciated, this line may obscure important details of the image.